
BX 2350 '-^'■^:,:,--'-\'.::-'^:^'^ 

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1904 

Copy 1 

A Practical Guide 
for Catholics 



Missionary Priest of the Diocese 
of St. Joseph. 



With the Permdssion of the Ecclesiastical 
Authority, 



Sixth Revised and Enlarged Edition. 



ST. LOUIS, MO. 1904. 

Published by B. HERDER, 

17 South Broadway, 



A Practical Guide 
for Catholics 



BY A 



Missionary Priest of the Diocese 
of St. Joseph. 



With the Permission cf\iic Ecclssidstpcki 
Authority, 



Sixth Revised and Enlarged Edition. 



ST. LOUIS, MO. 1904. 

Published by B. HBRDBR, 
17 South Broadway. 



Liir^RAHY «T CONGRESS 
Two Cepi«8 Received 

APIT 1 1904 

, Copyright Entry 
CLASS OL XXcc No. 
CO?*Y S 



NIHIIv OBSTAT. 



,^'2l- 






,^aO^ 



F. G. H01.WKCK, 
Censor Theologicus. 
S. Ludovici, die 10. Jan. 1904. 



IMPRIMATUR. 
* « * • - t • « 

*>J»>9ANNES J. G1.KNNON, 

Archiepiscopus S. Ludovici. 
:S%'^«i(Jbyfc,i;'(lie 11: J^ir, 1904. 



Copyright 1904 by Joseph Gummersbach, 



— DECKTOLD — 

PRINTING AND BOOK MFG. CO. 
ST. LOUIS, MO. 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 

1. The Parish Church 5 

2. Love for the Church 8 

3. Your Pastor ., 11 

4. Sick Calls . '. 13 

5. What is required in the house of 
every Catholic 16 

6. Parish Schools 20 

7. On Marriage 26 

8. Mixed Marriages 30 

9. Indissolubility of the Marriage Tie . 33 

10. Impediments to Marriage .... 35 

11. Baptism 38 

12. Church Support 41 

13. A Christian Rule of Life 47 

14. Morning and Night Prayers ... 48 

15. The Rosary 49 

16. The Angelus 50 

17. Spiritual Reading 51 

Newspapers and Periodicals ... 52 

18. Holy Water and other Religious 
Articles 53 

19. Confession and Communion ... 54 

20. Societies 54 

21. Unity and Peace ....... 56 

22. Holidays of Obligation 58 

Fasting Days of Obligation ... 59 
Days of Abstinence ...... 60 

23. Holy Maxims from Holy Scripture . 61 



I. The Parish Church. 

Since every parish has fixed limits, 
it is the duty of Catholics to find out 
to which parish they belong, and this 
for many reasons. 

In the first place, the pastor should 
know all the people residing in his 
district ; consequently people, and es- 
pecially newcomers, should lose no 
time in making themselves known to 
the priest in charge. 

Many persons, especially in country 
missions where they settle a long 
distance from the church, live for 
months and months after their arrival 
in a parish without informing the pas- 
tor of the fact. This is not as it should 
be. Let the priest know, by some 
means or other, that you have moved 
into his parish, and sooner or later he 
will visit you and provide for your 
spiritual wants. 

Moreover, you should try to find 
out all about the regulations of your 

(5) 



6 A PRACTlCAIv GUIDK 

parish church, because it is to your 
own interest; you are under certain 
obligations towards it, since you receive 
so many favors from it. A parish has 
to be supported, and according to your 
means you should give. Do not forget 
that in all matters pertaining to relig- 
ion, you are subject to the pastor of 
your church. On many occasions you 
need his services, especially where 
there is question of sick calls, or the 
administration of such sacraments as 
none but your parish priest is entitled 
by the laws of the Church to adminis- 
ter. Children should be baptized in 
their own parish church, and make 
their first holy Communion therein. 
The same holds good in regard to the 
sacraments of confirmation and matri- 
mony. It belongs to the pastor to 
administer the last sacraments to the 
dying. As a rule the funeral rites are 
to be performed in the parish church 
of the deceased. Exceptions to these 
rules may be made only with the 
express consent of the pastor or the 
bishop of the diocese. 

The Church, ever solicitous for the 



FOR CAI^HOI^ICS. 7 

Spiritual welfare of her children, is 
most lenient with regard to their w^ants. 
Thus, for instance, confession may be 
made to any approved priest in the 
diocese where the confession is made. 
The administration of holy Commun- 
ion to the sick who receive it out of de- 
votion only, is not reserved to the pastor. 
We hear many say in our day "I 
believe that if one does what is right, 
it makes very little difference what he 
believes or to what church he goes, 
he will be saved. " But the trouble is, 
a person is not doing what is right, 
unless he does what God wishes him to 
do ; and God desires, yes, commands 
him to be a member of His Church 
and live obedient to its laws. ' 'He that 
is not with Me is against Me.'' "He 
that will not hear you," said our Lord 
to his apostles, ''let him be to you as 
the heathen and the publican. ' ' Obedi- 
ence to the laws of God and the Church 
is the only way to heaven for anyone 
who knows where the true Church is. 
This is the only way for a Catholic to 
make sure of his election. We must 
have the courage of our convictions 



8 A PRACTICAI. GUIDK 

and never be afraid to openly speak 
the truth, no matter how unpopular it 
may be. The truth is ever the same — 
as eternal as God is — and sharper 
than a two-edged sword. 

2. Love for the Church. 

If your only purpose on earth be, to 
save your soul, if that be the one thing 
necessary, then the dearest object to 
you on earth should be that which 
helps you to save your soul : and that 
is the Church. God himself has ar- 
ranged it so. His great work of human 
sanctification is carried on by the 
Church. Did you fully realize this, the 
privilege of belonging to the Church 
would be your greatest jo}^: you would 
not exchange this boon for the wealth 
of the millionaires of our country, no, 
not for all the honors of the world's 
rulers. The well instructed Catholic 
knows the sure way to make certain 
his election, and in the Church he 
has so many God-given helps to make 
easy the winning. Would that you 
realized what your Church is to you. 
Would that you realized, that as the 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 9 

true faith is the greatest gift God has 
bestowed upon you, so the loss of the 
true faith would be the greatest mis- 
fortune and punishment which God 
could send you. If this were realized 
by ,itll the children of the Church, 
there would be no such thing as a 
fallen-away Catholic. But how com- 
mon are such apostates. People give 
up the practice of their faith on the 
least provocation, on the least pretext. 
They have some trouble with the 
priest, some of his rulings displease 
them, they dislike some of his actions 
a'nd they quit the Church. How foolish. 
Granted that the priest is in the wrong: 
they on the side of right : They must 
understand that the priest is not the 
Church but a frail weak mortal. Then 
did not Christ foretell that scandal 
would arise in the Church, yet he 
warned the people to be steadfast in 
spite of scandal. At any rate it is not 
proper to mistake the Church for the 
scaldal-givers and blame God's church 
for the scandal. We must always re- 
member, that no priest, no archbishop, 
is the holy Roman Catholic Church. 



lO A PRACTICAI, GUIDK 

The Catholic Church is God's own 
institution to continue Christ's work 
on earth, to apply to you the fruits of 
3^ our costly redemption, to take away 
your sins, to instruct you in God's 
truth, to assist 3^ou on to heaven ; and 
in so far the Church is faultless 
without a spot or wrinkle : as such she 
is Christ's holy spouse, whom He loved 
so tenderl}^, as to die for her. As such 
the Church should be viewed ; and 
when you quit the Church for any 
reason, you part company with your 
truest benefactor; you take a step that 
will bring inevitable disaster upon 
your soul. In her members, whether 
rulers or subjects, the Church is hum- 
an, very human, sinful. In fact her 
great work is to deal with the sinner. 
Her clergy are for the most part de- 
voted, faithful, pious. Godfearing — 
leaning on God as the only object 
worthy of their love — but being human 
they may occasionally make mistakes. 
Didn't Christ prepare you suflSciently 
for this, when he permitted two of his 
first clergy who had been prepared for 
the priesthood by Himself to make 
serious mistakes? 



FOR CAH^HOI^ICS. II 

3. Your Pastor. 

You should know your pastor ; try 
to find out his name and residence, 
for you know not how soon you may 
need his services. Without priests 
churches cannot be served, the Holy 
Sacrifice cannot be offered, the sacra- 
ments cannot be administered, the 
spiritual wants of the sick cannot be 
attended to, the negligent cannot be 
reclaimed, the Word of God cannot 
be preached. Without priests all the 
works of mercy, both corporal and 
spiritual, languish and pine away. 
The priests are the instructors of 
youth, the fathers of the people, the 
comforters of the aflaicted, the helpers 
of the distressed. They teach the 
ignorant, protect the orphan, console 
the aflBicted. Daily at the altar they 
offer sacrifice, and daily they offer 
prayers to God, as well as for them- 
selves as for their people. The pastor 
then is the real and true friend and 
father of his people ; he loves them as 
the Good Shepherd loved his flock. 
If he at times should admonish and re- 
prove, do not take offense at it; he will 
never do so unless it be for your good^ 



12 A PRACTICAI, GUIDK 

He will be obliged now and again 
to speak to you about money and the 
financial standing of your parish, and 
this, too, in the church. It is any- 
thing but a pleasant duty, but still it 
often becomes a duty which cannot be 
overlooked. Be sure of one thing, 
your pastor does this only when neces- 
sity compels him, or when the de- 
mands of charity are urgent. You 
should not consider your contribution 
to the support of your pastor as an act 
of charity on your part, for it is your 
sacred duty to do so, for the Church 
so commands. Never be offended, 
then, when called upon to contribute 
for this purpose, for as Christ says, 
' 'The workman is worthy of his meat' ' 
(Mat. X. lo). See also I Tim. V. i8. 

Practical Catholics hold their priest 
in highest veneration. They love, 
reverence and respect him, and in 
doing this they honor Christ himself, 
whose minister he is. Teach your 
dear little ones to entertain the same 
feelings towards him; be sure never 
to find fault with him or speak of his 
shortcomings in their presence. Be 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 1 3 

kind and considerate towards him. 
An encouragement from you will often 
inspire him with fresh zeal, impart to 
him new energy, and, what is more, 
will give him consolation amid the 
struggles and labors of his priestly 
life. Do not forget this. Never im- 
pose upon his generosity too much, 
and this especially in the matter of 
sick-calls. Do not put off a sick-call 
till night, saying: "Father is a good- 
natured priest, he will not mind com- 
ing in the dead of night." But the 
priest often does mind, although he 
may be charitable enough not to tell 
you so. 

4. Sick-Calls. 

Sick-calls there will always be, and 
they must not be overlooked. Our 
Catholics must not be suffered to die 
without the last sacraments. It is 
always hard to die, but more especi- 
ally when deprived of the consoling 
rites of Mother Church. Nothing 
should be left undone to Secure to 
those in danger of death the means of 
preparing well for that terrible hour 



14 A PRACTICAI. GUIDE 

on whiciL their eternal welfare de- 
pends. 

When a person is so sick as to need 
the services of a priest, lose no time in 
sending for him. The messenger 
should state the case clearly to the 
priest, give him all the details con- 
cerning the patient, telling him how 
long the person has been ailing. This 
knowledge will give him at once, and 
before leaving, an insight into the 
needs of the case, and may thus pre- 
vent loss of time or a hurried return 
to the church. In most of the large 
parishes it is customary to hand in the 
sick-calls early in the morning ; thus 
the priest will visit the sick in going 
the daily rounds of his district. If the 
call be an urgent one, wait and ac- 
company the pastor ; this often saves 
considerable time, and relieves the 
priest from the troublesome task of 
seeking the house. If you send in 
the night, it is always presumed that 
it is a sudden and a most dangerous 
case. 

Let some of our good Catholics 
pause here for a moment and reflect. 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 15 

Is this always the case? Ask our 
hard- worked priests about this, and 
what will be their reply? Too often, 
alas! yes, too often, the friends and 
relatives put off sending for the priest 
until it is almost too late. It is per- 
haps a dark, cold, rainy night, or m 
the early hours of the morning, all at 
once the door-bell is violently pulled. 
What is the matter? The first words 
which greet the ears of the priest are 
these : "O, Father, please make haste, 
so and so is dying, there is not a 
moment to lose." The good priest 
says: ''Our Lord has died for that 
soul; I must go." So with the 
bearer of this message, he goes forth 
into the darkness of the night, to visit 
the dying person. He arrives at the 
house, and what does he find? The 
patient, as we say, is almost gone, he 
is gasping for breath, speech has left 
him, he has but a few moments to 
live. Again at other times, when the 
priest arrives, the last spark of live 
has been extinguished. Poor soul, 
too late, too late, you have gone be- 
fore your God without the necessary 



1 6 A PRACTICAI. GUIDK 

preparation, The priest inquires: 
*'How long has the deceased been 
sick?'^ ^^Onlya few days, Father?" 
''Did you call the doctor?" *'Yes, 
Father." ''Then, why did you not 
call me in sooner?" *'0, we were 
afraid it might alarm him, or make 
him worse. ' ' This is by no means an 
imaginary case, but one that but too 
often happens. May God forgive such 
negligent Catholics, for indeed they 
need it; there should be no dilly- 
dallying when the salvation of an im- 
mortal soul is at stake. In all cases 
then send in good time for the priest ; 
bear in mind that charity for the eter- 
nal welfare of that soul demands this ; 
put every human consideration aside ; 
depart on your errand of mercy and 
God will reward and bless you. 

5. What is required in the house of 
every Catholic. 

You should always keep on hand 
all that is needed at the administra- 
tion of the last sacraments. You 
know not the day nor the hour when 
you may need them. When you ex- 



FOR CATHOIvICS. l^ 

pect the priest, have everything in 
readiness so as to occasion no delay. 
How distressing it is for a priest to 
arrive at a house, and to find every- 
thing in disorder and upset, and no 
preparations whatsoever made. So 
little is required of you, that even the 
poorest can barely offer an excuse to 
be without them. 

First of all cleanliness is required ; 
even the direst poverty is no excuse 
for uncleanliness. Place a small table, 
covered with a clean white cloth, near 
the bedside of the sick person. On 
this table there should be the follow- 
ing articles : a crucifix, that sacred 
emblem of man's redemption ; if not 
two, at least one blessed candle ; wax 
candles for this purpose are blessed 
on the Feast of the Purification, and 
every Catholic should possess one ; 
then have two small vessels, one con- 
taining holy water, and the other pure 
water, along with a clean towel, a 
spoon and some bread and cotton. 

The solemn moment has arrived, 
the priest has come, bearing with him 
your God. Meet him at the door and 



1 8 A PRACTICAL GUIDK 

profoundly adore 3^our Lord and 
Master. Show the priest at once to 
the sick chamber, light the candle and 
retire until the confession be heard, if 
such be necessary. At the given sig- 
nal return and remain upon 3^ our 
knees until the priest has finished. 
You can do much to aid the poor suf- 
ferer by 3^our piety and devotion, and 
also add to the solemnity and impres- 
siveness of these holy rites. Join in 
the prayers and respond aloud, especi- 
alh^ when the litany of the dying is 
recited. 

The priest has done his work. He 
has strengthened that soul with the 
body of Jesus Christ, he has adminis- 
tered Extreme Unction, and given the 
last Blessing. He has bid that soul to 
go forth courageously from this world 
in the name of the God that created, 
sanctified and redeemed it. He has 
spoken the last words of consolation, 
and recommending that soul to Jesus, 
Mary and Joseph ; he departs, rejoic- 
ing inwardly that he has been the 
means of smoothing its path to eter- 
nit}^ After his withdrawal, avoid 



FOR CATHOtlCS. 1 9 

saying or doing anything calculated 
to disturb the calm and peace of mind 
enjoyed by the sick person. Do not 
enter into vain and useless conversa- 
tion, but on the contrary, do all you 
can to keep his thoughts fixed on God 
and eternity ; and when the last 
struggle approaches, you can do much 
to defeat the attacks of Satan, especi- 
ally by reciting the rosary, suggesting 
pious thoughts, repeating the act of 
contrition, pronouncing frequently 
those sweetest of names, Jesus, Mary, 
Joseph. From time to time present 
the crucifix to the lips of the sufferer, 
place the lighted candle in his hands ; 
all these little attentions will rob death 
of its sting, and nerve that soul to 
face death as a true soldier of Jesus 
Christ. And when all is over, when 
the soul has gone hence, let all the 
friends and relatives offer up fervent 
pra^^ers for the one just passed away. 

If all these instructions were faith- 
fully carried out, and wh}^ should they 
not be, how many of the sad scenes 
we witness on these occasions would 
be spared us, and how many more 
souls would thereby be saved ! 



20 A PRACTICAL GUIDE 

6. Parish Schools. 

This chapter is of the utmost impor- 
tance, and especially to parents. Now 
there are three centers of Christian 
education : the home, the Church and 
the school. The education of a child 
must begin at home, for it belongs to 
the father and mother to plant in the 
souls of their offspring the first seeds 
of the faith ; they must lay the foun- 
dation of that spiritual edifice which 
by degrees will be raised therein. As 
the children grow up and begin to 
understand a wider range of truths, 
then the Church, in the person of the 
priest, will do her part in the training 
of the intellect and the heart of the 
young. Weekly instructions will be 
given to explain the truths of our holy 
religion, and the superior knowledge 
of the priest, together with his sacred 
character, will add considerably to- 
wards improving the good qualities of 
the child. 

However, this does not yet suffice. 
Parents, especially in this country, 
have to labor and to toil from early 
morn till late at night, and con- 



FOR CATHOLICS. 21 

sequently, after their day's work is 
ended, they have little or no inclina- 
tion to sit down and instruct their 
children. Again in many cases, 
through no fault of their own, they do 
not possess the necessary knowledge. 
The pastor will supply this deficiency 
to some extent ; but as we have said, 
his duties are so numerous, and his 
time so taken up, that the work is not 
3^et complete. What then is the re- 
medy? It is the parish school, or 
better, it is the Catholic school. 

Catholic parents have certain obliga- 
tions with regard to the school. Not 
only should they appreciate its exist- 
ence, for where it does exist, it is one 
of the greatest blessings of a parish ; 
but they should show their apprecia- 
tion of it by taking a lively interest in 
its welfare. You ought to bear in 
mind that the school has been built 
often at the price of a very great sacri- 
fice, and that it was built for the bene- 
fit of your children. Public school 
instruction, as furnished in this coun- 
try, does not undertake to make 3^our 
child a Christian, and nothing less 



22 A PRACTICAI. GUIDE 

than this should satisfy a Christian 
parent. Your first duty is to send 
your child to 3^our parish school, or to 
a good Catholic school. Let no reason 
induce you to act otherwise. Do not 
argue as some lukewarm Catholics do; 
never say the public school is just as 
good and costs me less — this is not 
true, because education without reli- 
gion is no education. For unless the 
will, the qualities of the heart, which 
is the seat of virtue and of all that is 
noble in man, be properly cultivated, 
3'ou may have smart men and smart 
women, but not good and virtuous 
men and women. If there were no 
Catholic schools in the land, the Cath- 
olic faith w^ould soon entirely dis- 
appear. 

Send your children regularly and 
punctually to school. This is essen- 
tial not only for them, but also for the 
welfare of the school. You wish your 
children to learn all they can; but 
how is this possible unless they go to 
school every day. Some persons keep 
their children at home for the most 
trivial reasons, and yet are the very 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 23 

first to complain that their children 
make no headway in their vStudies. 
You do an injustice to the teachers, if 
you fail to send your children regular- 
ly to school. • If they miss a day or 
two a week, they will fail to make 
any progress. But the teacher is not 
to blame for this. And furthermore, 
send your children in time. I^et them 
be there when the school opens in the 
morning as well as in the afternoon. 
The coming late to school of children, 
day after day, argues a want of care 
on the part of the parents. 

Lastly, the parents should care that 
their little ones come neat and tidy to 
school. Poverty does not exclude 
cleanliness. A child that goes to 
school neat and tidy, although it may 
be only poorly clad, reflects the greatest 
credit on its mother, and is an indica- 
tion of the character of the home it 
hails from. The untidiness of chil- 
dren indicates negligence, and is a 
sign that the home is not well regul- 
ated. Follow out our advice strictly 
on the school question, and you will 
then be faithful to the sacred trust im- 



24 A PRACTICAI. GUIDE 

posed upon 3^ou by God, and later on 
you will reap the reward, inasmuch as 
your children will prove a source of 
great comfort and consolation to you. 
As to those parents who live so far 
away from Catholic communities as to 
have no opportunity of sending their 
children regularly either to a Catholic 
school, or to the instructions given by 
the priest, they have a difficult task to 
perform. We speak of those families 
that live ten, twenty or more miles 
away from the next Catholic settle- 
ment. What are they to do? Evi- 
dently it is the bounden duty of such 
parents to make up at home, by their 
own diligence, for the work of the 
school and of the priest. How can 
this be done? If parents are obliged 
in conscience to work for the daily 
bread of their children, and that under 
pain of mortal sin, how much more 
strictly are they bound to labor for the 
eternal salvation of their children! 
The soul is more noble than the body, 
and eternity infinitely more important 
than time. This is self-evident. Hence 
parents should guard against settling 



FOR CATHOIvICS. 25 

in a district where there is but little or 
no opportunity of practising their reli- 
gion and of bringing up their children 
in the faith. They thereby do the 
greatest injustice to their children and 
expose themselves, as well as their 
children, to the loss of faith and the 
consequent loss of their souls. There 
are in our days so many Catholic 
parishes throughout the length and 
breadth of the land, that no Catholic 
father can offer a reasonable excuse 
for settling in the midst of a Protest- 
ant or infidel population. 

What have those parents to do that 
actually live at so great a distance 
from the church ? They must open in 
the famil}' circle a kind of class of in- 
struction, and continue this noble and 
necessary work until their children 
are sufiiciently grounded in the truths 
of salvation. Besides, on Sundays 
and holydays the prayers for mass 
should be read in common, together 
with an explanation of the epistle and 
gospel of the day. We know of no 
book better calculated to foster piety 
and instruction in the home circle 



26 A PRACTICAI. GUIDE 

than Goffine's explanation of the 
epistles and gospels. That book has 
in the past preserved the faith in many 
scattered Catholic families of the far 
West. 

7. On Marriage. 

Matrimony is one of the seven sacra- 
ments of the Church. Catholics ought 
to know the conditions required to 
enter worthily into this state. Mar- 
riage is a serious matter ; it binds the 
parties together for life. The con- 
sequences being of such importance, it 
should not be entered into hastily, but 
only after mature deliberation. A 
promise of marriage should be slowly 
given, and the parties concerned 
previously endeavor to become thor- 
oughly acquainted with each other's 
character and dispositions, for this 
promise once seriously made cannot 
legally be broken. A betrothal binds 
in conscience, and in many cases can- 
not be canceled without great detri- 
ment to both parties. In teaching 
this, the Church shows her wisdom, 
for how often has a hasty marriage 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 27 

not been the cause of a lifelong re- 
pentance ! It has been truly said : As 
is the first step in marriage, so also 
will be the whole married life. There 
are and have been at all times many 
unhappy marriages ; in many of which 
the parties are not suited to each 
other ; in others one of them may 
have had no calling to that state of 
life. 

We are all called by God to a cer- 
tain state of life in this world, and the 
marriage state, which is a vocation, at 
least in a wide sense, comes from God. 
The Apostle St. Paul says: ''As the 
Lord hath distributed to every one, as 
God hath called every one, so let him 
walk." I Cor. VII, 17. 

Parents should not forget this ; they 
should not interfere, through worldly 
motives, with their children when 
there is question of choosing a certain 
state of life, as an eternity frequently 
depends upon this choice. They 
should help their children to find out 
their calling by means of prayer and 
good advice, and induce them to seek 
the counsel of their confessor before 
making: a choice. 



28 A PRACTICAI. GUIDK 

Marriage then, as St. Paul says, is 
a great sacrament. "This is a great 
sacrament, but I speak in Christ and 
in the Church." Eph. V, 31-37. 
Such is the teaching of God's infal- 
lible Church ; hence the exalted dig- 
nity of marriage. 

Young people should beware of 
keeping company with and of engag- 
ing themselves to persons whom they 
are forbidden by God's law to marry, 
or who are unfit to care for a famil}^ 
They should usually ask the advice 
and consent of their parents, especially 
before contracting an engagement to 
marry, for in this the blessing of par- 
ents counts for a great deal. Secret 
engagements, as experience shows, 
very often turn out badly. Good par- 
ents do not, as a rule, oppose the suit- 
able marriage of their children ; on 
the contrary, they rather rejoice, in- 
asmuch as they desire their welfare 
and their happiness. It is then a very 
serious blunder and a mistaken idea 
on the part of young people to keep 
their engagement secret from their 
fathers and mothers. 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 29 

Before contracting an engagement 
to marry, tliey should make sure, that 
there is no obstacle in the way, by 
first consulting their pastor or confes- 
sor. They should not engage them- 
selves more than a few months before 
marrying, for long engagements are 
frequently dangerous. 

Before deciding on the date of the 
wedding, they should make sure that 
it is not within the forbidden time ; 
therefore they ought to pay a visit to 
their pastor to make the necessary 
arrangements at least three weeks be- 
fore the date fixed for the marriage. 
The reason of this is, that the bans 
should be published on three succes- 
sive Sundays in the parish church. It 
often happens that the parties reside 
in different parishes ; in this case both 
pastors -should be seen, as the bans 
must be called out in both parishes. 
It is customary for the wedding to 
take place in the church of the parish 
in which the bride resides. Besides 
the marriage should be celebrated at 
Nuptial Mass. 



30 A PRACTICAI. GUIDE 

8. Mixed Marriages. 

What are we to understand by a 
mixed marriage ? It is the union be- 
tween a Catholic and a non-Catholic. 
The Church has at all times discour- 
aged such marriages ; she looks upon 
them as a very great misfortune, and 
in forbidding them shows her wisdom. 
The reason why the Church does not 
sanction these unions is easy to under- 
stand, and apt to convince any fair- 
minded man. The chief end of mar- 
riage is to beget Christian children for 
God. To bring about this result the 
co-operation of both father and mother 
is necessary. God has intrusted to 
the mother the first years of the child. 
She is the first to reach the depths 
where his reason lies hidden ; she can, 
so to say, touch it and impress upon it 
her own image. From her loving 
heart and gentle smiles he grows in 
the virtues of faith, hope and charity. 
How great, he thinks, is the God, of 
whom his mother speaks so reverent- 
ly ! But the father, likewise, has his 
place in this great work. Without his 
example and authority, the teachings 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 3 1 

of the mother would frequently be 
lost. If the mother explains to her 
child the beauty of virtue, the father 
must also convince him of his man- 
liness. From this it will be seen that 
both father and mother must work to- 
gether harmoniously to attain this end, 
and this requires that they both be of 
the same mind and of the same faith. 
If they differ, then, in that which is 
most essential, the spiritual welfare of 
the child is bound to suffer, and expe- 
rience proves that such unions have 
robbed the Church of thousands of 
souls. It would fill volumes to relate 
the wretchedness and misery of many 
a home occasioned by a mixed mar- 
riage. I^et our Catholics then pause 
and think seriously before they bind 
themselves irrevocably to one who, 
perhaps, despises that which they hold 
dearer than life itself, viz. : the Catho- 
lic faith. We know there are excep- 
tions — but those exceptions are few — 
and only prove the general rule. 

However, when there are good valid 
reasons for such a marriage, a dispen- 
sation may be obtained, but even then 



32 A PRACTICAI. GUIDK 

certain conditions are required. In 
the first place, the non-Catholic party 
must consent to have all the children 
baptized and reared in the Catholic 
faith ; 2. that the Catholic party shall 
be allowed full freedom to practise his 
or her religion, and no obstacles shall 
be placed in the way. 3. The Catho- 
lic party must promise to be faithful to 
the true faith and to endeavor to lead 
the non-Catholic later on to the Church 
by good example. In this manner the 
Catholic may be the means of winning 
over the other party to the Church. 
These conditions are indispensable, 
and to secure a lawful dispensation, 
they must be complied with. 

Under no circumstances should a 
Catholic marry before a magistrate or 
squire, as marriage -is a sacrament, 
and consequently more than a mere 
civil contract. To marry before a 
Protestant preacher is never allowed. 
Not only is it a grievous sin, but it is 
worse ; it places the Catholic under 
the ban of the Church, excommuni- 
cating him, than which no greater 
evil could possibly befall him. In a 



FOR CATHOIvICS. 33 

word, then, mixed marriages are in- 
deed a great evil, and generally give 
rise to religious indifference, and in 
many instances occasion the loss of 
faith, the greatest of misfortunes in 
this life. 

9. Indissolubility of the Marriage 
Tie, etc. 

When the married couple do not 
agree, that is to say, when they do 
not live in peace and charity, the 
Church and State may and do allow, 
for sufficient reasons, a separation 
from bed and board. Let it be under- 
stood, however, that this does not 
mean a divorce. In the Catholic 
Church there is no such thing, and 
this has always been the infallible 
teaching of the Church. Death alone 
can dissolve the union between man 
and v/ife, for as Christ himself sa^'S : 
"What God hath joined together, let 
no man put asunder. ' ' The Catholic 
Church never has yielded, nor will 
she ever yield in this point, and in 
this she carries out strictly the teach- 
ing of her divine Founder, Jesus 



34 A PRACTlCAIv GUIDK 

Christ. One of the greatest curses to 
society at the present day, and especi- 
ally in this country, is the immense 
number of civil divorces granted, 
and this is appalling even to those 
who teach their lawfulness. Divorce 
destroys domestic peace and breaks up 
thousands of homes every year. Yes, 
good Catholic wife, your greatest 
benefactor is the Catholic Church. 

To the worthy reception of every 
sacrament are attached special graces. 
The sacrament of matrimony worthily 
received imparts an increase of sancti- 
fying grace. More than this, a special 
actual grace is given to married per- 
sons, which will enable them to love 
and to be true to each other at all 
times ; to bear up together with life's 
trials ; to resist all temptations and to 
bring up their children in the knowl- 
edge, fear and love of God. In a 
word, it imparts to them the graces 
necessary to discharge faithfully the 
obligations imposed upon them by 
their state of life. 

Inasmuch then as marriage is a 
sacrament, parties should prepare 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 35 

themselves to receive it worthily. It 
must be received in a state of grace ; 
consequently confession must precede. 
True Catholics never forget this and 
God's blessing is their reward. The 
correct thing for Catholics is to marry 
at Nuptial Mass and to receive holy 
Communion at it, and not in the 
evening, as some do contrary to the 
spirit of the Church. By a- Nuptial 
Mass is meant a Mass prescribed by 
the Church for the special purpose of 
invoking the divine blessing upon the 
married couple, and most earnestly 
does the Church exhort her children 
to avail themselves of this privilege. 
Of course the Nuptial Mass supposes 
in every case that both parties are 
Catholics. If all Catholics would fol- 
low out this advice much evil would 
be prevented, many scandals would be 
avoided, and God's blessing would be 
obtained. 

10. Impediments to Marriage. 

There are two kinds of impediments 
recognized by the Church. The one 
renders the marriage contract null and 



36 A PRACTICAI. GUIDK 

void, this is called an invalidating 
impediment ; the other renders it un- 
lawful and sinful, and is called a pro- 
hibiting impediment. 

The difference between the two 
kinds of impediments is this : When 
parties marry with an invalidating im- 
pediment, and without dispensation, 
it is not marriage at all. They are 
living in a state of sin. What is to be 
done in this case? The parties must 
either obtain a dispensation from the 
bishop, if it can be obtained, or if no 
dispensation can be granted, they are 
bound to separate under pain of eter- 
nal damnation. On the other hand, 
when parties enter upon the married 
state with a prohibiting impediment 
and without dispensation, they com- 
mit a grievous sin, but still they are 
man and wife. They are not allowed 
to separate ; they are bound to confess 
their sin and to perform the penance 
that shall be imposed on them. 

Some invalidating impediments, i. 
The bond of a previous valid marriage. 
No man can be married again whose 
wife is still living, nor can any 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 37 

woman, whose husband is still living, 
be married to another, if in either case 
the previous marriage was valid. 
There can be no dispensation from 
this impediment. 2. Consanguinity, 
which means relationships by blood. 
Hence no one can contract a real mar- 
riage with a blood relative as far as 
third cousin inclusive. 3. Affinity. 
According to this impediment no 
widower can contract a real marriage 
with a blood relation of his wife as far 
as third cousin inclusive. The same 
as to a widow. When the widower or 
widow had been living in an unlawful 
marriage, then the impediment of affi- 
nity exists also, but only to the second 
degree. There is also a spiritual affi- 
nity invalidating matrimony between 
either of the sponsors with his or her 
godchild, and also, between either of 
the sponsors with the father or the 
mother of the godchild. 4. Marriage 
is also null and void between a Catho- 
lic and a Jew, or a heathen, or a non- 
baptized person. This case is different 
from that in which a Catholic marries 
a person who, though being baptized, 



38 A PRACTICAI. GUIDK 

does not belong to the true Church. 
This latter case is only a prohibiting 
impediment. It is a real marriage, 
the parties must remain together, but 
the Catholic husband or wife must do 
penance for his or her sin. 

In some cases the Church dispenses 
from sope of the above named inval- 
idating impediments, in others not. 
Hence, when persons wish to marry, 
knowing that one or the other of these 
impediments exists, they should let 
the pastor know in good time that he 
may inquire and determine what ought 
to be done. 

The prohibiting impediments do not 
make the marriage null and void, but 
only sinful and unlawful, when there 
is no dispensation. They are : i. For- 
bidden times, that is during Lent and 
Advent. 2. Certain religious vows. 
3. Marriage between a Catholic and 
a baptized non-Catholic. 4. A pre- 
vious promise of marriage not can- 
celed. 

II. Baptism. 

The Catholic Church has ever 
taught that the sacrament of baptism 



I^OR CATHOUCS. 39 

is necessary for salvation, and the 
practice of pious Christians from time 
immemorial has confirmed this teach- 
ing. We are born into this world as 
sinners, or as St. Paul has it, as "chil- 
dren of wrath. ' ' Original sin is the 
heir-loom of every child of Adam. 
Christ instituted this sacrament to 
wash the stain of this sin from the 
soul. 

Parents should learn from this, how 
necessary it is for them to see to the 
baptism of their children without de- 
lay. As soon after birth as the health 
of the child will reasonably permit, it 
should be taken to the parish church 
to be baptized. The consequences of 
a delay are sometimes very disastrous. 
Bear in mind the many dangers to 
which a child is exposed at this tender 
and critical age. Sickness may carry 
it off with slight or no warning, and 
should it die without baptism, it will 
never behold the face of God or enjoy 
the happiness of heaven. Parents, 
how can you be so cruel as to endan- 
ger your child's salvation! If through 
any negligence of your own, you 



40 A PRACTICAI. GUIDE 

allowed your child to die without bap- 
tism, you would never forgive your- 
selves, and in this you would be right, 
as it would be an irreparable calamity. 

Too long a delay is then sinful. It 
is the teaching of many theologians 
that to postpone baptism beyond two 
week^, without a very serious reason, 
is a mortal sin. Yet some parents do 
not scruple to wait weeks and even 
months before they see to this. They 
will bring forward all kinds of flimsy 
excuses. Sometimes it is no money, 
and sometimes no clothes. Money is 
frequently forthcoming for other pur- 
poses, but for this — no. If 3^ou are 
poor, do not fear, bring your child to 
be baptized, every good priest will 
deem it a happiness to make a Chris- 
tian of your child. 

To baptize belongs to the sacred 
ofl&ce of the priesthood, and whenever 
possible the priest should perform this 
ceremony. In case of necessity, how- 
ever, any man, woman, or child may 
administer the sacrament of baptism. 
People residing a long distance from 
a church must not forget this, as at 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 4 1 

any time they may be called upon to 
give private baptism. Baptism is ad- 
ministered by pouring water on the 
head of the child, saying at the same 
time, '*I baptize thee in the name of 
the Father and of the Son and of the 
Holy Ghost." 

The name of a Saint should be 
chosen for a child. The name of a 
heathen, a nation, or what we call 
pet-names, are to be studiously avoid- 
ed. Only such as are known to be 
practical Catholics should be invited 
to act as sponsors ; under no circum- 
stances should non-Catholics be asked 
to stand as sponsors. When this is 
done, great annoyance is frequently 
caused to the priest, inasmuch as he is 
bound to refuse them. The obliga- 
tions of sponsors are, in case of the 
parents' death, to see that the child is 
brought up in the Catholic faith. It 
is customary to make an offering at 
the baptism of a child, and good Cath- 
olics do this willingly. 

12. Church Support. 

The Church in her external make- 
up is a society, an organization com- 



42 A PRACTICAI, GUIDE 

posed of rulers and subjects, just as 
any other society or the civil govern- 
ment. Now as the State should work, 
the Church does work for the common 
good of the people, and hence like the 
State, she must be supported by the 
people. The Church is so much more 
deserving of support than the State, as 
the Church is higher, more necessary 
than the State, as the good she does is 
greater, more far reaching than that 
done by the State. Yet, Oh inconsis- 
tency! (surely the devil is to blame for 
it) people find no fault whatever when 
the State asks for some of their earn- 
ings, but let the Church ask for some! 
and what fault finding do we hear! 
The State levies taxes according to the 
amount of one's possessions — so much 
on every hundred dollars, and the 
people pay it. But in the Church 
each person wants to determine for 
himself what he is to give, and ver}^ 
often he chooses to give very little or 
nothing. In most countries the tax 
for the Church is levied as the tax for 
the State, and the people pay heavily 
toward the Church, though you may 



FOR CATHOLICS. 43 

imagine they pay nothing. Some 
people think, that because the Church 
is not of earth, because her work is of 
the spiritual, charitable order, she 
ought to get along without money. 
Would that she could. She is not of 
earth, but she is on earth, and who or 
what can get along on earth without 
money. God Himself realizes this, 
for He gave the first law regarding 
taxation for the Church, and He levied 
a heavy tax, one tenth of all one's 
earnings. Listen to God's own words. 
''I have given to the sons of Levi 
(priests) all the tithes (one tenth) of 
Israel for a possession, for the ministry 
wherewith they serve Me in the taber- 
nacle.'' Num. ^XVIII, 29. ^'All 
things which you shall offer of the 
tithes and shall separate, for the gifts 
of the Lord shall be the best and 
choicest things." Num. XVill, 29. 
*' Every one shall offer according to 
what he hath." Deut. XVI, 37. 

''No one shall appear with his hands 
empty before the Lord." Deut. XVI, 
16. "Give unto the most High ac- 
cording to what He hath given to 



44 V PRACTICAI. GUIDE 

thee. ' ' Eccles. XXXV. ' ' Honor the 
lyord with thy substance and give 
Him of the first of all thy fruits." 
Consider well these texts and note 
how general their application is : all 
the tithes, every one shall offer. No 
one shall refuse, even the widow's mite 
is noticed. People who would be in- 
sulted if others paid their grocer's or 
butcher's bill, are perfectly willing to 
let others pay for their place in church. 
The Literary Digest, one of the fore- 
most papers in the countr^^, in the 
issue of January 17th, 1903, quotes 
statistics showing that Catholics, con- 
sidering their large number, contribute 
less than Protestants toward Church 
support. Hence complaint from Cath- 
olics is unreasonable, when we reflect 
how much more they get from their 
Church than Protestant churches can 
give. Then we must not forget what 
St. Paul says : "God loveth the cheer- 
ful giver. ' ' 

Religion demands sacrifice, and 
people who are not willing to do much 
for the Church certainly do not prize 
very highly the benefits they derive 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 45 

from the Church. To do good is all 
that we are let live for, and surely one 
can do no greater good and enjo}^ no 
greater honor than to help build and 
maintain temples wherein alone God 
is properly honored. Do away with 
the Church — and God would quickly 
do away with the world. But to sift 
things down to a finer point, how 
much do you really give to your 
church ? You who think church dues 
are too high ? Thirty or forty dollars 
a ^^ear? That seems to be a big 
amount, but it is about ten cents a 
day. Do you smoke? Do you eat 
sweet meats, candy, cakes? The price 
of one good cigar laid aside every day, 
the price of a hand full of sweet meats 
spared every day would pay your 
church dues. Do you drink? The 
price of one bottle of beer put aside 
every day would square you before the 
church. Do 3^ou go to a theatre once 
in a while ? What 3^ou give thus for 
pleasure, for pastime, would more 
than pay your church dues. The 
butter 3'OU put on your bread would 
about pa}^ them, and yet you grumble 



46 A PRACTICAL guide: 

over the amount, though we have seen 
that nothing on earth is so useful and 
necessary to us as is the Church. M}^ 
dear friend, by 3^our little outlay you 
make it possible for the truth of God 
to be preached in your locality, for 
Christ to dwell in your midst as truly 
as He dwells in Heaven ; you draw 
upon yourself God's blessings, receive 
His graces, which are worth more 
than all the world. You are assisted 
on to Heaven. Do you get your 
money's worth? You could never 
give as much to the Church as you 
get from her. God assures you He 
will not allow Himself to be outdone 
in generosity. 

The principal means of church sup- 
port in our country is derived from 
collections taken up at the services, 
and the rent of pews and seats. The 
principle remains the same no matter 
how the tax is collected. This method 
may not be the best, but it is the one 
now in general use, and our faithful 
people must good-naturedly submit to 
it until some better method is adopted. 

Some people vainly imagine that 



FOR CATHOUCS. 47 

because they pay no pew rent they 
are thereby excused from supporting 
the church. And if they should 
chance to rent a seat — they expect 
their pastor to stand guard at it and 
keep it for their exclusive use. 

The non-pewrenters are just as much 
obliged to support the Church ac- 
cording to their means as are the pew- 
renters. If the faithful of our time 
and country had the charity of the 
early Christians, and the love and zeal 
for religion that characterized the con- 
gregations of the first century of the 
Christian era, the harmony and peace 
— and unit3^ in parishes so much 
desired would be realized — and the 
unbelieving world would be attracted 
to the Church — and God's kingdom 
on earth would be enlarged — and 
each parish would become as of old a 
garden of sanctity and holiness in 
which God would delight to dwell. 

13. A Christian Rule of Life. 

A rule of life is most earnestly re- 
commended. In these days of luke- 
warmness and tepidity, certain Chris- 
tian practices at home and in common 



48 A PRACI'ICAI. GUIDB 

prove a great safeguard to Catholics. 
Nothing is a source of greater edifica- 
tion, or more calculated to foster devo- 
tion than to see a family united in the 
practice of these beautiful acts of Cath- 
olic piety. 

14. Morning and Night Prayers. 

One of the most important duties of 
a Christian is daily prayer. The wants 
of the soul must be seen to as well as 
those of the body. One of the Fathers 
of the Church says: "As moisture is 
necessary for the life of a plant, so 
prayer is necessary for the life of the 
soul. ' ' This important exercise should 
be faithfully observed, and when pos- 
sible let it be a family exercise, as this 
is more pleasing to God. Our Lord 
says that when several are gathered 
together to pray in His name, He is 
in their midst. No family deserves to 
be called truly Catholic, unless the 
prayers, or at least, the night prayers, 
are said in common. In every house 
where this is done the good results 
are easily seen : Religion is respected, 
peace and harmony reign in the house- 
hold, and the precept of charity is ob- 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 49 

served. In fact, the words ot the Holy 
Ghost are fully realized : '*How good 
and pleasant for brothers to dwell in 
one. ' ' These home exercises of piety 
your children will never forget. 

15. The Rosary. 

Every true Catholic loves to recite 
the rosary, that beautiful devotion in 
honor of Mary, the Immaculate Mother 
of God. No devotion is more sancti- 
fying than this. When properly said, 
it brings before our minds all the great 
mysteries of our faith. It teaches us 
the part Mary played in the wonder- 
ful mystery of the Incarnation, and 
how by her co-operation she aided in 
the great work of man's salvation. No 
prayer is so suitable and so well 
adapted to our times and to our wants 
as the rosary. Our late Holy Father, 
Pope Leo XIII., realized this. Not 
only was he personally fond of this 
devotion, but he labored by every 
means to infuse the same spirit into 
his spiritual children. The month of 
October has become, so to say, a 
second month of Mary, since during 



50 A PRACTICAI, GUIDK 

this month we honor her under the 
new but beautiful title of "Queen of 
the Holy Rosary. ' ' 

From this it will be easily seen that 
the recitation of the rosary should 
enter into the rule of life of every 
devout Catholic. When this is done 
in common in the family, it will never 
fail to draw down God's blessing. A 
household in which Mary is honored 
and loVed, is a happy one. If it is not 
possible to say the beads through 
every day, time may be found to say 
at least a decade or two. Give to 
Mary this token of your filial love and 
affection, and in return vShe will guard 
you from the snares of the evil one 
and the enemies of your salvation. 

i6. The Angelus. 

When possible the Angelus should 
be said, at least in private. It is said 
three times a day at the ringing of the 
church bell, to remind us of the mys- 
tery of the Incarnation. Many indul- 
gences are attached to this devotion. 
It is taught to the children in Catholic 
schools, and parents should encourage 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 5 1 

them by their example to keep up this 
practice. This act of piety urged by 
the Church and enriched by indul- 
gences should enter into the life of 
every devout Catholic. 

17. Spiritual Reading. 

A part of the evening after the day's 
work cannot be more profitably spent 
than in reading some good and pious 
book. It is not only entertaining, but 
it is at the same time most instructive. 
If our young people would only read 
good books, instead of the trashy 
novels of the present day, how much 
better it would be for them. They 
would learn to know their religion 
better, and this knowledge would 
make them proud of the faith they 
confess, and be a powerful inducement 
to practice it faithfully. As to the 
choice of books, for spiritual reading, 
the Imitation of Christ, the Glories of 
Mary and other works of St. Alphon- 
sus, Goffine's Instructions, the life of 
some saint are especially recommend- 
ed. St. Ignatius, the founder of the 
Society of Jesus, laid the foundation of 



52 A PRACTICAI. GUIDK 

his great holiness simply by reading 
the lives of saints. 

Newspapers and Periodicals. 

Tell me what you read, and I will 
tell you what you are. You intend to 
introduce a Christian rule of life into 
3^our household; well, then, keep out 
of your home the daily newspaper. 
These papers often contain the details 
of more scandals and crimes than you 
have time to read and will prove in- 
jurious to the morals of the young. 
Is the description of a seduction, of an 
elopement, of a divorce, of a suicide or 
murder, adapted to improve your 
morals or those of your children? The 
recital of murders, .suicides, impur- 
ities, fill the pages of the secular press. 
Then look at the advertisements. 
What in olden times was punishable 
with death, that is now-a-days brought 
unblushingly to the knowledge of the 
public. Is it possible that you or your 
children can read this printed filth and 
remain pure? Impossible. Therefore, 
away with these papers from the Cath- 
olic home. Keep a good Catholic 



FOR CATH01.ICS. 53 

paper on hand. The same may be said 
about many of the secular periodicals. 
Be sure to take some good Catholic 
periodicals, now so numerous and so 
useful and well written. 

1 8. Holy Water and other Religious 
Articles. 

No home should be without a cruci- 
fix, holy water and pious pictures. 
When one enters a house and perceives 
the crucifix, the holy water font or 
pious pictures, it is a sure sign that 
religion is there honored and respected. 
These outward signs of Catholicity 
both please and edify. Holy water 
through the special blessing of the 
Church becomes most efiicacious. It 
has the property of purifying every- 
thing it touches, and for this reason 
the Church employs it in many of her 
august ceremonies. It should be kept 
in every sleeping apartment, and used 
both morning and night. The Catho- 
lic mother should teach her little ones 
the meaning of the holy water, and in- 
struct them to bless themselves with it 
frequently. Never be without it; in 



54 A PRACTICAL GUIDE 

every church a supply is kept on hand 
to supply the faithful with it. 

19. Confession and Communiori. 

The monthly confession and com- 
munion should, if possible, be ob- 
served. Nothing is more conducive 
to a holy life than often to receive 
these holy sacraments. The frequent 
reception of holy communion is strong- 
ly urged by the Church. Set aside 
one day in the month for this purpose, 
and do not let it go by. The first 
Friday or Sunday in the month is the 
best time for this, and the pastor gen- 
erally attends the confessional earlier, 
so as to give an opportunity to all to 
go to confession. Wherever the golden 
rule of monthly confession and com- 
munion .is observed, the faith and 
piety of the people are manifest in a 
hundred different ways. 

20. Societies. 

Societies are of the utmost import- 
ance. If our Catholics do not join 
Catholic sodalities, or confraternities, 
or benevolent, or temperance societies, 



I^OR CATH01.ICS. 55 

they will join societies that are outside 
the Church or forbidden by the 
Church. The danger from forbidden 
societies is greater in the country 
districts, where the Catholics are less 
numerous, than in the large cities. 
Our Catholics living in cities are suflS- 
ciently organized among themselves. 
There is no excuse nor shadow of a 
reason for city Catholics to join a 
secret or non-Catholic union In the 
country it is different. As the faith- 
ful are scattered and often limited in 
number, it is more diflScult to start 
societies and to keep them up. Hence 
the Catholics there are more easily 
allured into secret societies. Their 
agents speak to them kindly, assuring 
them that their society has nothing to 
do with religion, absolutely nothing. 
But wait ! From their fruit you shall 
know the tree. I^et these Catholics 
remain two or three 37^ears members of 
those societies,' and they will cease to 
go to church, or to frequent the sacra- 
ments. The}^ are lost to the Church 
and to the faith. Hence never join 
any society without first consulting 
your pastor. 



56 A PRACl'ICAI, GUIDK 

21. Unity and Peace. 

If God is so interested in His Church 
as He assures us He is, then there is 
nothing grander on earth in His eyes, 
and therefore in truth, than a parish 
whose members work in unity and 
harmony for His greater honor and 
glor}^ On the other hand nothing is 
more displeasing to Him than opposi- 
tion between priest and people or a 
want of harmony in the parish organ- 
ization. St. Paul says, God is not the 
God of dissension, but of peace, and 
gives this warning : * ' Be careful to 
keep the unity of spirit in the bond of 
peace. ' ' 

Christ pronounces a blessing on the 
peace maker and consequently a curse 
on the peace breaker. "Blessed are 
the peace makers for they shall be 
called the children of God." Yet in 
almost every congregation we find the 
discontented parishioner : Some who 
are chronic fault finders. This should 
not be. We must give and take. We 
must bear with one another, as we 
hope to be borne with. We must 
forgive one another. 



» 



FOR CATHOI.ICS. 57 

If the priest means well, or if most 
of the people are in favor of a measure, 
let others suppress their objections and 
join in to promote harmony and unity. 
You must consider God's providence. 
He often permits things to occur in a 
parish which are not pleasant, but He 
wishes to try the people's faith and 
their love for Him, and the priest's 
patience. We show our love for God 
when we are willing to put up with 
hard and disagreeable things for His 
sake. We must never forget that 
there are two sides to every question. 
You may have lots of fault to find with 
the priest or with other people in the 
parish , but ' ' don ' t take it out on God , ' ' 
for He certainly finds more reason to 
complain about 3^our behavior towards 
Him. Remember, above all, that no 
priest is the Catholic Church, and you 
go to church, and support the church, 
not for the priest's sake, but to give 
worship to God and to do good for 
your own souls. 

The Church to-day is the same in 
make-up as it was during the days of 
the apostles ; so the words of St. Paul 



58 A PRA'CTICAI, GUIDK 

to the parishes he formed will apply to 
the people of every parish. "Now I 
beseech you, brethren, by the name of 
our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all 
speak the same thing and that there 
be no schisms among 3^ou. "Fulfill 
ye, my joy, that 3^ou be of one mind, 
having the same charity; being of one 
accord, agreeing in sentiment." Phil. 
II, 2. "Stand fast in one spirit with 
one mind laboring together for the faith 
of the gospel." Phil. I, 27. His 
prayer for a parish was: "Now the 
God of patience and of comfort grant 
you to be of one mind, one towards an- 
other according to Jesus Christ, that 
with one mind and one mouth, you 
may glorify God." Rom. XV, 5. 
Would that every parish could say : 
"All the multitude of believers had 
but 07ie heart and one souV^ Acts IV, 12. 
On the other hand St. Paul says : 
"Now I beseech you, brethren, to 
mark them who make dissensions and 
avoid them. " Rom XVI. 

22. Holy Days of Obligation. 

All Sundays in the year; the Cir- 
cumcision of Our lyord (January i); 



FOR CATHOIvICS. 59 

the Ascension of Our Lord (40 days 
after Easter); the Assumption of the 
B. V. Mary, (August 15th); All 
Saints (November ist); Immaculate 
Conception (December 8th); Nativity 
of Our Lord, or Christmas Day (Decem- 
ber 25th). 

On all these days of obligation every 
Catholic who has arrived at the years 
of understanding, that is, from seven 
years upward, is obliged, under pain 
of mortal sin, to hear Mass and rest 
from unnecessary servile work. 

Fasting Days of Obligation. 

All the week days of Lent ; the 
Ember Days for the four seasons of 
the year, namely, the Wednesdays, 
Fridays and Saturdays occurring, ist, 
for the Winter Quarter, after the third 
Sunday of Advent ; 2nd, for the Spring 
Quarter, after the first Sunda}^ in Lent; 
3rd, for the Summer Quarter, after 
Whitsunday; and 4th, for the Autum- 
nal Quarter, after the 14th of Septem- 
ber ; also the Vigils of All Saints, 
Christmas, Whitsunday and the As- 
sumption, 



6o A PRACTlCAIv GUIDK 

Fast Days are binding on every 
Catholic who has reached the age of 
twenty-one und is under sixty, and is 
not lawfully excused. 

A Vigil is a day preceding a feast 
day. If the feast should occur on 
Monday, the Vigil is kept on the 
Saturday before, as Sunday is never a 
fast day. 

Days of Abstinence. 

All Fridays in the year except when 
Christmas falls on Friday; and all fast- 
ing days excepting those on which the 
use of flesh-meat is expressly allowed 
by the proper authorities. Soldiers 
and sailors in the service of the United 
States are exempted from the rule of 
abstinence all through the year, ex- 
cepting Ash-Wednesday, Friday and 
Saturda}^ of Holy Week, and the 
Vigils of the Assumption and Christ- 
mas. 

A day of abstinence is a day on 
which we are not allowed to eat flesh- 
meat. 

Even children over seven years of 
age are bound to observe this law. 



I^OR CATHOLICS. 6 1 

By special privilege laboring men 
and their families may eat meat once a 
day on all abstinence days except 
Fridays, Ash- Wednesday, Wednesday 
and Saturday in Holy Week and the 
Vigil of Christmas. 

23. Holy Maxims from Holy Scripture. 

Be not faint-hearted in your mind. 

Neglect not to pray and to give 
alms. 

Laugh no man to scorn in the bit- 
terness of his soul, for there is one that 
humbleth and exalteth, God, who 
seeth all. 

Devise not a lie against thy brother, 
neither do the like against thy friend. 

Hate not laborious work, nor hus- 
bandry ordained by the Most High. . . . 

Humble thy spirit very much, for 
the vengeance on the flesh of the un- 
godly is fire and worms. . . . 

Hurt not the servant that worketh 
faithfully, nor the hired man that 
giveth thee his life. Let a wivSe ser- 
vant be dear to thee as thy own soul ; 
defraud him not of liberty, nor leave 
him needy. . . , 



62 A PRACTICAI, GUIDES 

Hast thou children ? Instruct them 
and bow down their neck from their 
childhood. 

With thy whole heart honor thy 
father and forget not the groanings of 
thy mother. Remember that thou 
hadst not been born but through them, 
and make a return to them, as they 
have done for thee. 

Servants, obey in all lawful things 
your masters according to the flesh, 
not serving to the eye, as it were, 
pleasing men, but in simplicity of heart, 
fearing God. Whatever 3^ou do, do it 
from the heart, as to the Lord and not 
to men; knowing that you shall receive 
of the Lord the reward of inheritance. 

With all thy soul fear the Lord and 
reverence His priests. With all thy 
strength love Him that made thee, and 
forsake not His ministers ; honor God 
with all thy soul, and give honor to 
the priests, .... give them their por- 
tion as it is commanded thee. 

Stretch out thy hand to the poor, 
that thy expiation and thy blessing 
may be perfected. Be not wanting in 
comforting them that weep, and walk 
with them that mourn. 



^OR CATHOI.ICS. 63 

You shall not hurt a widow or or- 
phan ; if you hurt them, they will cry 
out to Me, and I will hear their cry, 
and My rage shall be enkindled, and 
I shall strike you with the sword, and 
your wives shall be widows and 3^our 
children fatherless. 

Be not slow in visiting the sick, for 
by these things thou shalt be con- 
firmed in love. 

In all thy works remember thy last 
end, and thou shalt .never sin. 

Without faith it is impossible to 
please God. 

What doth it profit a man,- if he 
gain the whole w^orld, and suffer the 
loss of his soul ? 

Thk End. 



APR 1 1904 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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